Anne Valerie Hash--Couture Solar Oven?

It is that day of the year--the day where we all put on our stretchy pants and indulge in all things yummy.  Time to relax and enjoy the company of others.  That day of the year where we get to sit and listen to the Crazy Uncle blather about late-night radio.  Time for that horrible green bean casserole, lumpy potatoes and smoke detectors.  And, napping on someone else's couch while your little cousins build a fort around you.

And, well, if you cook like me, you may be in need of this Anne Valerie Hash fall 2008 couture outfit.  A turkey indeed.  But, it is shiny silver, so maybe it will reflect the heat from your cooking disaster to at least save your favorite outfit underneath, like some sort of high-fashion hazard suit.  And, just think, you will probably need it again when you go to cook the Christmas Ham!

Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good nap!

Picture from style.com

The New Plaid

Plaid is one of those ultra-classic prints that has been around for, well, who knows.  Suffice it to say "a very long time".  It never goes out of style because it is truly tried and true.

But, fashion is all about pushing the boundaries and that can mean reinterpretations of classics.  In this case, the reinterpretation of plaid.  It is no longer simply the overlapping lines signifying various British clans, instead not only new colors are being injected, but also new shapes.  

All of the designers are doing it now--Vivienne Westwood added gradient patterns in her glenplaid, Marni is making it watercolor and now Alexandre Herchcovitch is adding ink spots.  While plaid is normally made up of lines, but the

 addition of new shapes is exciting and fun!  While the dress from Fall 2008 looks like the lines are curved, it is the cut of the dress.  But, that really gives the dress its excitement is that if you look closely, there are different shapes in with the plaid.  They blend in perfectly but give it that extra unusual touch to make it memorable and beautiful!

Picture from style.com

It Is That Time Of Year!

Yes, the happiest time of year--SALE TIME!!!!  It has begun.  Net-a-porter.com's sale on fall and winter items has commenced.  Many of the items I have featured from their website are currently on clearance.  I know, they are an expensive site.  But, they have great pictures and customer service.  And, they do carry exclusives and some very hard to find designers.  So, why not?

picture from net-a-porter.com

Custom Vintage?

One of the really cool things about the internet is that you can find just about anything.  One of those cool things that you've probably never thought of is a re-worked vintage bag!

Vintageskins.com offers a very wide range of all sorts of vintage skin bags and accessories, but they also recently started offering customs reworked vintage bags!  They are made of parts of vintage bags that are still in good condition and are combined in creative new ways that look extremely fashionable.  These are no sad craft project bags, as they are made of vintage bakelite, furs, leathers and silks, so they are totally worth the money.

This bag is made from vintage bakelite and leopard and lined in silk.  The delish caramel of the bag is so fashionable right now!  And, this is one of the rare chances to get a real-fur bag from an endangered animal without the cost and hassle and still feel good about not contributing to poaching and other problems.  Because the fur is vintage, it means that instead of having to use a new fur, an old item has new life so there is less waste and more live animals!  How cool!

picture from vintageskins.com

Tisci Time!

The fashion house Givenchy has not had a good time for the last decade and a half.  And, it isn't for lack of desire by the fashion world to see it succeed.  Instead, it has been the lack of a head designer who can carry through a vision that is both traditional Givenchy but modern in every way.

Everyone had such high hopes in Julian McDonald when he took over the house.  He assumed the helm to much fanfare and to-do but in the end, he quietly slunk out without really ever putting out a collection anyone liked but him.  

Finally, Mr. Tisci has come to the helm of Givenchy.  He didn't arrive with the same sort of publicity.  Instead, he has let the clothes speak for his talent and vision.  The last few collections have gotten better and better to the point now that the house is routinely putting out once-in-a-lifetime gowns that Hubert de Givenchy himself would be proud of!

This black gown is Tisci for Givenchy and absolutely stunning!!  It is flattering, sexy, demure, and delightful!  A dream in tulle and exactly what Audrey Hepburn would wear to the red carpet if she was a young woman today.  Hopefully this dress is just the beginning of what Givenchy is going to put out in the coming years!

Picture courtesy of ebay seller ricysue.

Beautiful Quirks!

Japan is easily one of the most fashion forward places on earth.  Accordingly, it has a large number of designers that do some of the most amazing, fashion forward work!  

Tsumori Chisato is one of these top-notch Japanese designers.  She is known for her style that combines fantasy with Japanese fashion-forward esthetic.  Tsumori attended the Bunka fashion school and previously designed under Issey Miyake.  Her line is part of the A-Net conglomerate of the Miyake company.  

The signature look for Tsumori Chisato is the dress.  Her dresses aren't "just a dress", instead they are both fantasy and details that stand out from the crowd.  For instance, this dress from the FW2008 show is at the same time wearable, interesting and chic.  Everything that Tsumori stands for!

Due to the popularity of Tsumori Chisato, it is HEAVILY faked, so pay close attention when you are buying anything from the line.

Picture from a-net.com

Party Time

The holidays are quickly looming and even though the economy is down, it still means that it is party time!  And, well, of course party time means time for new dresses!!

Vera Wang makes some of the coolest party dresses.  Sure, she is known for bridal wear, but on her lavender label, she manages to put out some of the most stylish party dresses for much lower prices than most other designers.  

This dress is the coolest updated version of the sexy red party dress!  It has that rich red that just oozes glamour and sexy, but it is paired with classic black and grey for contrast.  That contrast and pairing is super chic right now.  And, it also has that jeweling that is insanely stylish right now, reminiscent of Lanvin party dresses for a small fraction of the price.  

Wearing this dress to a holiday party would be so fun--and I bet that the woman who does wear it will be the most stylish woman in the room!

picture from bluefly.com